Heritage Gateways

Hosea Stout Journals

January 5, 1848

Location: Winter Quarters - 1014 miles left, Nebraska - Location: 41:21:41N 95:56:45W Currently the site of Florence, Nebraska, Winter Quarters was settled in September, 1846 as a temporary resting place for the pioneers. It is located just west of the Missouri river in Nebraska.

Summary: Procedure for the making of covenants is firmly explained and established.

Journal entry: Wed Jan 5th 1848. Went to H. Council at ten. The case of Emmett came up (Coons V.S. Emmett). The council had a long trial. Emmett called on John L. Butler and others of like stamp & was proving very plainly what solemn covenants all had made while with Jas Emmett, that if they did not abide with them & stay together they should forfeit all they possessed & many more such things when President Young demanded of the Council to first decide who & on what conditions could make a covenant to bind people together as it appeared Emmett had done.

The council soon confessed their entire ignorance on the subject and desired the president to give the information. He said that no man had a right to make a covenant to bind men together. That God only had that right and by his commandment to the person holding the keys of revelation could any man legally make a covenant & all covenants otherwise made were null & of no effect. This of course up set all Butlers Hobbies while he was endeavoring so hard to make it appear that Emmett was a very good honest man.

After some time the proposition was made that all such property belonging to any of Emmetts company in dispute be Church property which was decided. Several persons present who were contending about their property gave up their titles to the church Coons got some of his back & kept it not wanting to yield to the decision.

Source: On the Mormon Frontier: The Diary of Hosea Stout 1844-1861 Volume I - Edited by Juanita Brooks. Permission to use excerpts granted by Utah State Historical Society and the University of Utah Press.